Legendary Actress, Della Reese is dead

Reese, who turned television star, passed away Sunday night at her California home.

Actress Roma Downey, Reese’s co-star on Touched By an Angel, said in a statement to Variety, “She was an incredible wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and pastor, as well as an award-winning actress and singer.

“Through her life and work, she touched and inspired the lives of millions of people. She was a mother to me and I had the privilege of working with her side by side for so many years on ‘Touched by an Angel.

“I know heaven has a brand-new angel this day. Della Reese will be forever in our hearts.”

Until her death, Reese enjoyed an early career as a big-voiced jazz singer, accumulating four Grammy nominations before transitioning into television with the 1969 show Della, the first talk show hosted by an African-American woman.